thanks Dave. I'm still relatively new at growing orchids but with help from folks on the forum and lots of searching the net I've managed to keep most of them alive and healthy. I have a few phals that I was planning to move to a big hanging basket..I'll try using the potting mix and a lot of sphagnum.I mist mine daily too but also about every 10 days or so I give them a good soaking and remove any excess water. I also have a wee humidifier under their table ..Manitoba is very very dry in the winter.

""Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain." Smitty BBS

I did what Dave said on page one...adding some cactus soil...much of the spaghnum moss, and I now have two new leaves growing in one of mine, and one on the other. (the "other" sat for a full year with no sign of anything, before I did this.)

I know I'm late posting here but only terrestrial orchids grow in soil Phals are not terrestrial orchids and I'm sorry to say but if those orchids in the pictures were my orchids I would be worried because they dont look to healthy to me.As for the bark not holding water well its not supposed to its those exposed roots that hold the water.When they are white they need a drink,when they are green they dont need water.Instead of pouring water into the pot and then letting it drain try putting your orchid in a bucket fill it with water up to the top edge of pot and let it sit for a hour.I have 60 different orchids. Bill

I forgot to mention that the reason the orchids you buy have moss and not bark is the orchids would loose all their potting mix in transit if it were bark,moss holds plant in pot but thats all its good for. Bill

I rescued few phals, hit by frost and the owner had given them up. Since it was soaked by the fall rain, they were drowning. Roots look okay.

And the planting medium was bark and gooo - stinky. I prefer other planting medium.

In the Philippines, ( i spend my younger years there), our orchids were put on coconut husk, readily, locally available. So, my solution to the drowning orchid was to pot them base on "what i know", or what I have done in the past.

I secured coconut husk from Home Depot, in the form of liners for hanging baskets. I shred it by hand, soaked it in decent water, and pot them as it is. Now, since this will never hold moisture at all, it revived the orchids................and hopefully keep them alive.

Using coconut husk entails grower skills or experimentation on my part. Watering it will be once every two weeks with water and orchid fertilizer solution. A draining bath, like a pouring rain in the forest -- that is how my grandma call it.

Its been with me for almost a month now, and so far orchids are revived and decent looking.

Hope it will flower with this set up. A

About the stems, I leave it on, until it turns brown. Phals are known rebloomers on same stem. The exception being - once the stem is long and untidy, I cut it down to the base, that which gives chance for orchid to concentrate on growth than flowering.

Good luck, looks like your orchid is doing well.

Angie

Angelina

"A sustainable, eco-friendly community starts with you and me!"My blog is at angelinayyz.blogspot.com

otnorot wrote:When I refered to the pictures I was talking about the second set as the first pictures are very healthy ochids. Bill

phew..I was worried for a second that I had really screwed up Bill...thanks for all the info..I have about 30 different orchids now..lots with buds and a few flowers..lots of new growth and a phal and a dendrobium with babies!!! thank dawg for indoor gardens

I posted this pic somewhere else before but...

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""Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain." Smitty BBS